1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and in particular to an apparatus and method for providing a web browsing service for a mobile communication terminal.
2. Background of the Related Art
Web browsing methods performed for a terminal equipment (TE), such as a personal computer (PC) or a personal digital assistant (PDA), and web browsing methods performed for a mobile terminal (MT) are implemented differently depending upon functional and display format interface aspects.
In a TE web browsing method, the MT performs the function of a modem or a network card. The MT and TE are connected with each other by an Rm interface, which provides physical connectivity between the TE and the MT, and this has to be implemented in both the TE and MT. Physical connection between the TE and MT can be provided by modes such as a serial communication port (RS-232C), an USB, an IrDA, an IEEE1394, and a Bluetooth.
From a software viewpoint, the TE requires an interface such as a telephone connection network and a PPP (point-to-point) protocol. In addition, in order to perform web browsing, a web browser is required such as an Internet Explorer developed by MICROSOFT Company or Netscape developed by NETSCAPE Company.
Unlike the TE, an Rm interface is not required in an MT web browsing method. Instead, protocols such as PPP, an internet protocol (IP), a transmission control protocol (TCP), and a user datagram protocol (UDP) most be implemented, and the MT contacts a web server (hereinafter referred to as a ‘mobile server’) using those protocols. In order to perform web browsing, the MT must have an embedded browser such as a UP browser or an ME browser.
FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a conventional TE which performs web browsing. The TE includes a telephone connection network 170, an Rm interface unit 160, and a browser 120. The telephone connection network performs a network connection function through a modem. The Rm interface unit provides a physical connection between the TE and an MT 200 and performs functions for the physical connection such as bit stream generation and error processing. And, the browser performs data upload/download by contacting a web server based on an Internet protocol. A user interface unit 110 is also included.
The telephone connection network 170 includes a connection control unit 130 and a protocol unit 150. The connection control unit performs functions such as a network connection set, connection release, and connection management. The protocol unit sets a physical connection with protocols of the other station, disconnects, and manages the connection, and transmits/receives protocol signals and data through the set connection. The protocol unit 150 includes a protocol manager 140 for managing a state and activity of protocols such as the PPP, IP and TCP.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an MT, which performs web browsing. The MT includes an interface block 290, an AT command parser 280, a call unit 230, and a protocol unit 250. The interface block includes an interface unit 260 and an Um interface unit 270. The AT command parser analyzes and processes commands of the TE 100 transmitted through the Rm interface unit 260. The call control unit secures a channel for a call setting with the network, disconnects the channel, and performs related call processing functions. The protocol unit sets a physical connection with a mobile server, releases, and manages the connection, and transmits/receives data through the physical connection. An embedded browser 220 is also included for performing data upload/download by contacting the mobile server. A user interface unit 210 including of a key input unit 212 and a key processing unit 214 outputs event data received from other parts of the MT 200 as audio-video formats. The protocol unit 250 includes protocols such as a radio link protocol (RLP), PPP, IP, and TCP and a protocol manager 240 manages those protocols. An AT command is an instruction list of the TE 100 for controlling the MT 200.
FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a connection format when the TE 100 performs web browsing through the MT 200. When a user commands the TE 100 to set a data call, the telephone connection network constructs an AT command for call setting and transmits it to the Rm interface unit 160. The Rm interface unit converts the AT command into a bit stream and transmits it to the MT through a physical transfer channel. The MT 200 interprets the bit stream and makes the call control unit 230 try a data call setting. When the data call is set, the call control unit informs the TE of the call setting. The TE tries a PPP connection and a TCP/IP connection. When the trial is successful, the TE informs the user of the web-server connection though a display. And, the user performs web browsing by operating the TE web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape.
FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing how the MT 200 performs during web browsing. When the user operates the embedded browser 220 of the MT 200 by pressing a certain key, the key processing unit 214 transmits a certain message for making the call control unit 230 try a data call to the call control unit 230. When the data call is set, the protocol unit 250 sequentially performs connection with the mobile server, RLP, PPP, IP and the TCP protocol. When the connection is performed, web page data is downloaded from the mobile server, and an output processing unit (not shown) outputs the downloaded data through the display.
The conventional TE uses the MT as means for contacting to the Internet (or PSDN). However, it cannot contact the mobile server and the MT cannot contact a general web server based on the Internet protocol. In addition, the MT cannot use various resources of the TE related to web contents. Furthermore, while a CPU, a memory and the display of the MT 200 have proven to be appropriate for voice and text processing, the mobile server cannot provide various services to the MT 200 and accordingly it is difficult to construct various web contents. Moreover, it is noted that the PPP, IP, TCP, UDP protocols and network-related resources are implemented in TE and MT. These duplicated resource implementations may lower development efficiency and increase development costs.